Curtain wall pier including a marine fender



Oct. 19, 1965 R. w. TIBBETTS CURTAIN WALL PIER INCLUDING A MARINE FENDER Filed April 9, 1962 IN VEN TOR. fizz/mzlilfjziezis BY %M@AW v46 United States Patent 3,212,271 CURTAIN WALL PIER INCLUDING A MARINE FENDER Raymond W. Tibbetts, Camden, Maine, assignor to Tibbetts Industries, Inc, Camden, Maine, a corporation of Maine Filed Apr. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 186,1)98 4 Claims. (Cl. 61-48) This invention is related to wharves, and more particularly concerns a pier with a marine fender having the appearance of a curtain wall.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a wharf of simple, rugged construction, able to stand weathering and abuse from impacts due to waves and floating vessels to a greater degree than wharves commonly employed.

It is a further object to provide a pier of cantilever construction to eliminate at least one row of rigid pilings commonly employed, thus reducing the number of elements subject to replacement because of exposure to the elements and constant abuse from ships or other objects floating into engagement therewith.

Another object is to .provide a wharf having an array of vertical fender members along the seaward side, of resilient and preferably indestructible material and pivoted to the wharf to provide damping action to absorb the impact of objects floating into contact with them, rendering their replacement practically unnecessary and in any event much easier than the replacement of rigid piling members commonly utilized for fenders.

A further object is to provide a pier resembling a curtain wall, due to the presence of closely spaced vertical marine fender members extending from above the pier floor to below water level.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a wharf comprising only a single row of pilings, rather than two or more as commonly employed, with beams from a concrete wall or other structure shoreward of the pilings extending out beyond and resting on top of individual pilings in a cantilevered arrangement, planks on top of the beams to form a floor, and vertical fenders universally attached along the line of the beam outer ends, the upper ends of the fenders extending above the wharf floor with adjacent ends suitably connected together by rope or cable to provide a railing, the lower ends weighted to maintain the tenders substantially vertical, and adjacent lower ends suitably connected to one another by chain or cable, the fenders providing a damping action for boats floating into contact with them.

The particular construction of a preferred embodiment of the invention is more clearly brought out by reference to the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, with parts broken away; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one form of joint possible for the vertical fenders of the invention.

eferring to the low water view of FIG. 1, the curtain wall pier 1 is erected on the seaward side of any fixed shore structure such as the concrete wall 2 of the dock disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 186,097 filed April 9, 1962. The wharf has only a single row of pilings 3 driven into the bed of the body of water, rather than two or more rows as commonly employed, since such pilings often have to be replaced after a few years due to underwater rotting. Stones and other cribbing material may fill the space between the pilings and wall 2. Beams 4 may have one end 5 embedded in the wall, and extend out on top of and beyond the pilings in a cantilevered array as at 6. Planks 7 or other suitable material may be secured on the beams to provide a surface for walking, machine support, and the like. Other structural members may be provided, such as plank 8 attached to the outer ends of the beams and float 9 connected to the pier by ramp 10.

Vertical fender members 11 may be attached by a universal type of joint 12 along the line of the outer ends of the beams. The fender members are constructed of a suitable highly resilient material such 'as oak wood, or glass fiber preferably in the form of hollow members. The elasticity of the fender material provides a considerable portion of the buffer action of the assembled array. The use of glass fiber fenders is desirable since they are almost indestructible; they are immune to the destructive etfects of sea water and marine growth, do not rot, are smooth and thus would not scrape adjacent boats, may be of any desired color, and require no maintenance.

FIG. 2 shows the details of a preferred embodiment of universal joint 12, comprising a .pin 13 passing transversely through the fender member at a point spaced from both the longitudinal and lateral center of the member, and resting in the bottom of slots 14 in each leg 15 of a U-shaped bracket 16 bolted or otherwise attached to the outer face of plank 8. Legs 15 could be merely extensions of beams 4, but preferably are part of brackets as shown to enable attachment at any point along plank 8. In this manner desired spacing of the fender members can be achieved to impart the appearance of a curtain wall when viewed from the water, and to obtain sufiicient fenders necessary for damping. The slots 14, and the spaces between arms 15 and the sides of the fender member 11 permit sideways motion of the fender; the round shape of pin 13, and the space between the rear of the fender and the bight portion of the bracket, permit the fender to swing toward or away from the pier. The fender may be easily replaced by raising it so that pin 13 passes up and out of slots 14, after disengaging the lower chain and upper rope railing.

The fenders extend a short way above the pier platform, and their upper ends are connected by a non-rigid member 17 such as rope or cable to provide a railing. The major portion of each fender extends from the universal joint downwardly, so that its weight will tend to maintain it vertical, and extends below water level. The fenders may be provided with additional weight at their lower ends to prevent them from floating up out of water, as by attaching to each one a mass of concrete 18 or, for the hollow embodiment, by providing a mass within each lower end. The lower ends and weights are above the bed of the body of water to enable the fenders to swing, and are loosely connected together by a chain or cable 19 to provide transfer of motion one to another to effect a damping action for impacts of boats or waves against the fenders. The fenders with the attached masses and chain provide further damping due to their passage through the water, their inertia, and their rising slightly above normal rest position because of motion about the universal joint. Boats can bump the curtain wall without unduly jarring the .pier, since the impact is absorbed and dissipated by the fenders as they swing.

Many modifications will be apparent to the artisan, including change in the placement of the elements different choice of materials resistant to weathering, and the like. My invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A marine fender for a wharf structure or the like comprising an elongate member having a universal support means between its ends for connection to such structure with the member oriented vertically, the support means comprising a U-shaped bracket with a bight portion adapted to be connected to the structure and with legs each having a slot extending inwardly from the same edge which is the upper edge when connected to the structure, and a pin passing transversely through the member with each end seating in a respective one of said slots, the width of each said member being less than the distance between said legs whereby the member may swing laterally in the bracket.

2. A marine tender for a wharf structure or the like comprising a plurality of vertically extending members spaced from one another along and each universally supported between its ends to an outer edge of the structure, the lower ends of the members being heavier than the upper ends, the upper ends extending above the universally supported portions and connected together by a non-rigid member forming a railing, the width of each member being less than the distance between said legs whereby the member may swing laterally in the bracket.

3. A marine fender as in claim 2 wherein a chain is provided loosely connecting the lower ends together.

4. A marine tender as in claim 2 wherein the joining is by universal supports each comprising a U-shaped bracket with a bight portion connected to the structure and legs extending out horizontally from the structure, each leg having a slot extending down from its upper edge, and a pin passing transversely through the respective member with each end of the pin seating in a respective one of said slots, the width of each member being less than the distance between said legs whereby the member may swing laterally in the bracket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 772,100 10/04 Holmes 6148 5 2,391,612 12/45 Baker 61-48 2,441,051 5/48 Wilhelm 248-11O 2,844,943 7/58 Kennedy 61--48 2,870,793 1/59 Bailey 50-268 X 2,892,315 6/59 Blan-cato 61-48 10 3,081,056 3/63 Young et al. 248203 FOREIGN PATENTS 612,566 1/61 Canada. 44,952 2/35 France.

(1st Add. to Pat. No. 775,877) 1,033,112 4/53 France.

9,901 5/23 Great Britain. 23,859 10/ 13 Great Britain.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, JACOB SHAPIRO,

EARL I. WITMER, Examiners. 

1. A MARINE FENDER FOR A WHARF STRUCTURE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ELONGATE MEMBER HAVING A UNIVERSAL SUPPORT MEANS BETWEENS ITS ENDS FOR CONNECTION TO SUCH STRUCTURE WITH THE MEMBER ORIENTED VERTICALLY, THE SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A U-SHAPED BRACKET WITH A BRIGHT PORTION ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE STRUCTURE AND WITH LEGS EACH HAVING A SLOT EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE SAME EDGE WHICH IS THE UPPER EDGE WHEN CONNECTED TO THE STRUCTURE, AND A PIN PASSING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE MEMBER WITH EACH END SEATING IN A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SLOTS, THE WIDTH OF EACH SAID MEMBER BEING LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID LEGS WHEREBY THE MEMBER MAY SWING LATERALLY IN THE BRACKET. 